Random Reviews

So the last couple of days I've seen a movie and a few interesting TV shows and, since I'm taking a break from work, I decided to post about it (hey, why not? An update's an update.) Friday night a few of us decided to go see 300 on its opening night. I'll admit, it wasn't quite as good as I hoped it would be. But it was still definately worth seeing on the big screen (although I recommend getting there early; watching the movie from the second row puts a serious crick in the neck). The movie looks amazing. The plot is kind of predictable, especially if you've ever seen a similar battle movie, or if you know the actual history that the movies is based on. But the visuals still manage to dazzle. There were quite a few times when the camera would pan back to reveal massive armies, or go into slow mo for a particularly gruesome action shot. And they all looked awesome. It doesn't hurt that most of the men are ripped and wearing nothing but underwear and flowing capes.

I've seen 2 TV shows lately that I'm impressed with, so I'll say a bit about them, in the hopes that some of my friends will start watching them. The first is The Black Donnellys. I found the first episode a bit dissapointing. The previews looked good and I liked the tag (Family above all), but I could predict most if not all of the pilot episode. I watched the second episode because it's almost St. Patrick's Day and I wanted to watch something Irish. I'm glad I did, because the second episode was really good. It took all the existing relationships from the first episode and nudged each one just a little bit, pushing it into an uncomfortable place. It's one thing to shoot people to protect your brother. It's quite another to bludgeon a dead body so that it will fit in a barrel. That takes time and a strong stomach.

Following the Irish theme, I was flipping around the channels trying to find some background noise to grade papers against when I found Celtic Woman on PBS. I only caught the last half hour, but it was really good. It's a bunch of singers and musicians (particularly one blond violinst who can play while bouncing around stage and twirling around) who play and sing all kinds of songs (Irish, musicals, contemporary). It's performed in a castle in Ireland, and the singers did such amazing jobs that I was dissapointed I hadn't turned it on earlier. If anybody is interested in some beautiful Celtic music, look for this show. PBS usually repeats shows, so I'm sure it will be on again. Yesterday I was actually glad that I don't have cable, because if I did I would've flipped to some movie on TV, instead of checking to see what was on PBS.

I also want to give a shout out to Gilmore Girls and Stranger than Fiction. GG gets a shout out for mentioning A Prairie Home Companion last week (thanks Mags for introducing me to this show!) and Stranger than Fiction for calling Space Camp (found in Hunstville, AL) one guy's unfulfilled dream. It made me think of Whit and Leslie, since you guys actually went to space camp.